Pumping power unit for oil wells



July 9, 1929. I DRESSER 1.720.514

PUMPING POWER UNIT FOR OIL WELLS Filed May '7, 1927 ,4 sneetsaheet 1Jilly 9, 1929. v DRESSER I 1.720.514

PUMPING POWER UNIT FOR OIL WELLS Filed May '7, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 2awwewcoz R. A. DRESSER 1.720.514

PUMPING POWER UNIT FOR OIL WELLS July 9, 1929.

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed May '7, 1927 4 L 43 45 40 m a 46 4 43 3 44 0' a lI 3 37 I avwe wcolz July 9, 1929. R. A. DRESSEF Q PUMPING YOWER UNIT FOROIL WELLS Filed May '7, 19 7 '4 Sheets-Sheet 4 avwemtoz @M a m JAM fltbcvm Patented July 9, 1929.

UNHTED STATES ROBERT A. DRESSER, F BRADFORD, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNDR TOPETROLEUM ENGINEERING CORPORATION, OF OF PENNSYLVANIA.

BRADFORD, PENNSYLVAJFTIA, A CORIORATION PUMPING POWER UNIT FOR 011;'WEIJLS.

Application filed May 7,

My invention consists in the novel features hereinafter described,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which. show one formof the invention selected by me for purposes of illustration, and thesaid invention is fully disclosed in the following description andclaims.

In the pumping of oil wells, it has been customary to operate pumpslocated in each of a plurality of wells, by means of a central powerplant, connected mechanically with the pinup rods of the wells, usuallyby connecting rods or cables, frequently extending over wide acreage andinterfering with or preventing the cultivation thereof, and thearrangement is not ordinarily economic, as different wells requirediiierent power, and some wells may be profitably pumped during a longeror shorter period of time than others. The extension of lines carryingelectric current available for power purposes has brought electric powerin many instances into proxi mity to the location of oil wells. My invention comprises a cheap, simple and eilicient pun'iping power unitwhich can be readily in stalled upon and supported. by the casing of anindividual oil well, and arranged to operate the pump rod thereof, meansbeing provided :tor detachably mounting therein. an electric motor ofthe power required for the particular well, and operated by electriccurrent supplied from a contiguous power line under the control of usualelectric controlling means which may be located at the well, or at apoint more or less remote from the same, the construction providing,preferably, an oil. sump in which the gearing between the motor and pumprod may continuously run, and which is entirely separated from the motorcom partmeat. My invention therefore provides at each well, a cheap andeilieient pumpiu g unit, which can be readily installed withoutinterfering with the cultivation of the surroundiug acreage, and whichcan be operated only during such periods as may be found profitable.thus minimizing the expense of operation.

In the accompanying; drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an electric punming power unit embodyingmy inventiou.

Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the same.

Fig. 3 is a vertical, sectional view of the power unit.

1927. Serial No. 189,578.

Fig. 3 is a detail plan view of clamp for the casing head.

Fig. 4; is a top plan view of the pumping power unit.

Fig. 5 represents a horizontal section through the housing on the line5-5 of Fig. 3.

In the embodiment of my invention, which I have selected for purposesoi. illustration, 1., represents the lower portion oi? the housmg, orcasing, adapted to contain the motor and connecting gearing, andpreferably formed in two parts for convenience of assembling the parts,the upper portion of the ising being indicated at 2, and said partsbeing secured together by cap screws or belts, in any usual or desiredmanner. The casing may be formed. oi cast metal or sheet metal, as ironor steel, preferred. .ln the present instance it have showniteoi'istructed oi. cast metal. The lower portion of the casing isprovided with a motor compartment, indi cated at 3, which isseparatedfrom the other portions of the housing by a trout partitionwall, i, and a longitudinal partition wall, 5, extending :t'rom thewall, l, to the rear end of the casing, and the motor compartment isalso provided with a horizontal partition, 6, above the same. Thepartitions, l and 5, separate the motor compartnlent from the otherportions oi? the interior of the casing, iinlieated at 7, which conslantes an oil sump. and may be partially tilled with oil, asllereina'fter described, and with the horizontal partition, 6, entirelyprotect the motor :lronithe oil. The motor coinpartment, 3, is providedat its rear end with an openii'lg, indicated at 8, which is of a sizesullicient to permit the endwise insertion and removal of the elec tricmotor, indicated. at 9, without disturbing any other part of thai'lpplll'zltllfi, so that the ren'iaining parts of the apparatus may becom 'iletely assen'iblrnl, and the motmn which is provided with adetachable coimling memher, indicatedv at 10, on the motor shaft, 11,ot' the required power tlior the 'uirtieular installation, may beinserted in and secured in the motor compartment either before shipmentor alter the power unit has been in stalled on the well casing, as maybe preferred. The aperture, 8, at the rear end of the motor compartmentmay be conveniently closed by a detachable cap or cover, indicated at12. to protect the motor from the weather, and the cap or cover will. beprovided with a a supporting ill) suitable ventilating aperture,indicated at 13. I also prefer to provide the side wall of the casing,adjacent to the motor compartment, with a ventilating aperture,indicated at 14:, in Fig. 1, for the purpose of co-operating with theaperture, 13, and permitting a draught longitudinally through the spacebetween the motor armature and field magnets to keep the motor cool.Forward of the motor compartment I provide a worm shaft, 15, mounted insuitable bearings in the front wall of the casing member, 1, and in thepartition wall, 4, carrying a worm, 16. The worm shaft extends into themotor compartment, and is provided with a coupling member, indicated at17, for engaging the coupling member, 10 on the-motor; These couplingmembers may be of any desired type and are preferably so constructed asto compensate for slight variations in the alignment of the motor shaftand worm shaft, and I conveniently employ coupling members, providedwith interengaging projections, 18, of fibrous or other material, whichloosely engage each other, so that a slight variation of alignment ofthe worm shaft and well shaft will not interfere with the properoperation of the device, and this construction also permits the motor tobe engaged with the worm, by simply pushing it into the motorcompartment fromthe rear end, so as to bring the coupling members intooperative relation with each other, and bolting the bed of the motor tothe bottom of the casing member, 1. In this way a motor of any desiredpower, according to the requirements of any particular well may beinserted in the unit, it being understood that if the motors vary in theposition of their armature shafts, the motor bed would have to beblockedup in a well known way, so as to bring the motor shaft and worm shaft insubstantial alignment.

, Above the worm shaft, and extending transversely across the casing, isa counter-shaft, indicated at 19, mounted in bearings, which areconveniently formed or supported with their, axes coincident with theline of division between the casing members, 1 and 2, and the shaft, 19,is provided with a worm wheel, 20, engaging the worm 16, and with apinion, 21, engaging a gear wheel, 22, on the crank shaft, indicated at23, which consists preferably, for economy of manufacture, of a straightpiece of shafting mounted in bearings in the upper and lower members ofthe casing, and parallel with the shaft, 19. The casing 1S provided witha plurality of registering apertures in the bottom, the horizontalpartition, 6, and in the top of casing, 1, through which the pump rod,or polish rod, indicated at 2-1:, extends, as clearly shown in thedrawings. The pump rod, therefore, passes through the motor compartment,just forward of the motor, and does not pass through the oil bath, sothat the use of stuffing boxes will be ordinarily unnecessary, thusreducing friction. The pump rod, 2 1, extends above the casing, andpasses through a transverse bar or erosshead, indicated at 25, to whichit is secured in any desired manner, as by means of clamps, 26, se-

cured to the pulnp rod above and below the crosshead, as indicated inthe drawings, the crosshead being guided in its forward movements by anysuitable means. For economy of manufacture, I prefer to provide theupper member of the casing with vertical rods, 27, which may be made bycutting oil the required length from steel shail'l'ing, for example,such rods being supported in bosses, 28 fornual on or connected with theupper member, 2, of the casing, and said rods exl ending throughsuitable guiding apertures in the crosshead. The outer ends of the cranksha it are provided with suitable cranks, indicated at 29, secured tothe crank shaft, rill, by keys, set screws, or in any other desiredmanner, and providei'l with the crank pins, 30, which may be formedintegrally with the crank, or separately and screwed or otherwiseconnected therewith, as preferred. 31 represents pitmen connecting thecrank pins, 30, with pivotal studs, 32, at the outer ends of thecrosshead, 25. As the power required to be exerted upon the pump rod ismainly or entirely in one direction, that to say in a direction to liftthe pump rod, I preferably provide the crank shaft, 23, with heavycounter-lialance arms or weights, indicated at 33, secured to the crankshaft in any desired manner, and constructed of such size, weight andlength, that they will substantially counter-lnilance the weight of thepump rod, and connected sucker rods, which of course extend to a pointnear the bottom of "the well, so that the power of the motor may beapplied, as uniformly as possible, in reciprocating the pump rod andplunger through its effective stroke.

I provide the power unit casing with means for supporting it directlyover the well with which it is to be used, and preferably upon thecasing head of the well. In this instance I have shown the using head.provided with a clamping bracket or spider, indicalml at 34-, and shownin detail in Fig. 3, the said clamp being provided with a plurality ofperforated ears, indicated at to receive the hook bolts, 36, forengaging a. flange of the casing head, which is indicated at 37, andclamping the clamp or spider thereto by means of the nuts, 88. Theclamping bracket is also provided with a plurality of support ing arms,indicated at 39, to which are attached vertical standards, 10, boltedthereto, and lo the bottom of the casing member, 1, and thus supportingthe entire power unit in operative relation with the pump rod, or polishrod, 21-. The clamping bracket, 31, will be provided with a centralaperture, 41. through which the well pipe, 4-2, passes, said pipe beingprovided at its upper end with the usual stulllllt) ing box, indicatedat 43, for the polish rod, or pump rod, 24:, and said pipe, 42, beingpro vided with a conducting pipe, 44, for corn ducting the oil to thepoint of delivery, or storage. The motor will be electrically connectedwith a suitable electric controlling device, which may be mounted on oradjacent to the casing, or located at a distance therefrom, aspreferred. ltn the present instance I have shown. a conventional.rheostat, indicated at i5, provided with a lever, 46, for controllingthe cm'rent supplied to the motor from the power lines, which will beconnected to the rheostat in any desired way.

lit will be understood that where a considerable number of wells arelocated in the same locality, each well will be provider with one oil myimproved power units, equipped with a motor of the appropriate power,for operating the particular well and cacl'i well an be pumped thenecessary number of hours at appropriate intervals according to thecircinnstances of the acciunulation of oil therein, and each power unitcan be shut off without affecting the operation of the others, and willof course c msume cur rent only during the periods oi? rnrofitableoperation. The construction of .my pumping unit is extremely simple, aswill. be seen, so that the first cost of these small units low, and theywill require very little attention beyond starting and stopping themotor. .lt will be uni'lerstood that the sump, indicatcd. at 7, will befilled with suitable lubricant, as indicated, for example, by thedotted. line X, in l? 3, thereby securing the lubrication of the gearingbetween the motor and the crank shaft while the lubricant will beprevented from passing into the motor comnirtnient. If necessary, thebearings for the work, which will be below the liquid level in the oil.hath, may be provided with the customary :ielt washers, d7, held inplace by retaining rings, 4-8, similar to those ennployed in connectionwith the rear wheels of automobiles, to prevent the escape of lubricant:lirom the casing or into the motor compartment.

lit will be seen that, according to my construction, the motor, whiledctachably and removal'ily supported in the motor compartment, oi? thecasing, is nevertheless directly connected with the worm shat't, so thatthe use oi? gearing, sprocket chains, and the like, between the motorand gearing leading to the crank shaft is dispensed with, whichsimplifies the construction and renders it less liable to get out oforder.

llhat ll claim and desire to secure by Lettors Patent is 1. ln a pumpingpower unit, the combination with a casing having its lower portionprovided with an oil sump, and. with a motor compartment, and apartition wall scparating the motor compartment from the sump,ail-electric motor in said motor compartment, a crank shaft mounted insaid. casing, gearing for transmitting motion. from the motor to thecrank shalt, including a shattlocated in said sump substantiallycoaxially with the motor shaft, and having a portion extending into themotor C()]1'l1)t1l;- inent, means for directly connecting said shaftwith the motor shaft, and connections from the crank shaft in'oviiiledwith means for connecting them to a verti ial pump rod for impartingreciprocati ug movement thereto, said casing being lTiOVltlQtl with vttically registering apertures .in vertical alignment with portions ofthe motor compartment tor the passage of the pump rod therethrough, andmeans for supporting said casing above the well with said registeringapertures disposed coaxially with respect to the pump rod.

2. In a pun'iping power unit, the combina tion with a casing having itslower portion provided with a transversely disposed and a longitudinallydisposed partition jliori'l'iing an oil sump, and a motor compartmentseparated therelirom, a crank shaft mounted in said casing above themotor compartment and transversely thereof, a worm shaft sup ported inthe oil sump and having a portion extending through said transversepartition. a worm on. said worm shaft, gearing connect ing said wormwith the chank shali't comprising gear members extending into the oilsump, an electric motor detachably mounted in said motor compartment andhaving its shaft arranged coaxially with the worm shatt, means fordetachably col'lnecting said motor and. worm shaft, and connections omsaid crank shajli't provided with means ifor detachably engaging avertically reciprocating pump rod.

In a pumping power unit, the combination with a casing having its lowerportion provided with a transversely disposed and a longitudinallydisposed partition, forming an oil sump, and a motor compartmentseparated therefrom, a crank shaft mounted in said casing above themotor compartment andtransversely thcreotl, a worm shalt supported inthe oil. sump and having a portion extending through said transversepartition,

a worm on. said worm shaft, gearing connecting said. worm with the crankshaft com.- prising gear members extending into the oil sump, anelectric motor detachably mounteiil in said motor con'ilnn'tmentandhaving its shalt arranged coanially with the worm shait't, means fordetin-hably connecting said motor andv worm shaft, crz-inlqs carried bythe crank shaft, and located on opposite sides of the casing, avertically movable crosshead provided with means for detachably securingit to the pump rod, coi'mections from said cranks to said crosshead,saidcasing being provided with vertically aligned apertures tor thepassage of the pump rod therethrough,

and means forsupporting said casing above the well casing with saidapertures in coaxial alignment with the pump rod.

4. In a pumping power unit, the combination with a casing having itslower portion provided wit-ha transversely disposed and a longitudinallydisposed partition forming an oil sump, and a motor compartment separated therefrom, a crank shaft mounted in said casing above the motorcompartment and transversely thereof, a worm shaft supported in the oilsump and having a portion extending through said transverse partition, aWOl'll'l on said worm shaft, gearing connecting said worm with the crankshaft comprising gear members extending into the oil sump, an electricmotor detachably mounted in said motor compartment and having its shaftarranged substantially coaxially with the worm shaft, means fordetachably con necting said motor and worm shaft, cranks carried by thecrank shafhand located on opposite sides the casing, a verticallymovable crosshead provided with means for detachably securing it to thepump rod, connections from said cranks to said crosshead, said casingbeing provided with vertically aligned apertures for the passage of thepump rod therethrongh, in vertical alignment with a portion of the motorcompartn'ient for the passage of the pump rod vertically through thecasing, and the motor compartment thereof out of contact withthe oil inthe oil sump, and means for supporting the casing above the well withsaid apertures in coaxial alignment with the pump rod thereof.

5. In a pumping power unit, the combination with a casing having itslower portion provided with a transversely disposed and a longitudinallydisposed partition forming an oil sump, and a motor compartmentseparated therefrom a crank shaft mounted in said casing above the motorcompartment and transversely thereof, a worm shaft supported in the oilsump and having aportion extending through said transverse partition, aworm on. said worm shaft, gearing connecting said worm with the crankshaft comprising gear members extending into the oil sump, an electricmotor detachably mounted in said motor compartment and having its shaftarranged substantially coaxially with the worm shaft, means fordetachably connecting said motor and worn shaft, cranks carried by thecrank shaft at opposite sides of the casing, a rotatable counter-weightrigidly connected with the crank shaft for counter-balancing the weightof the pump rod and sucker rods, a crosshead provided with means forconnecting it with the pump rod above said casing, vertically disposedguides secured to the casing and engaging the crosshead, connectionsfrom. said cranks of the crosshea'd, said casing being provided withvertically registering apertures, and means for supporting the easingabove the well with said apertures arranged coaxially with respect tothe pump rod thereof.

6. In a pumping power unit, the combination with a casing having itslower portion provided with an oil sump, and a motor compartment, amotor in said compartment provided with a motor shaft and a parlitionwall separating the motor compartment from the sump, a worm and wormshaft mounted in the oil sump, said worm shaft having a portionextending into the motor compartment in axial alignment with the motorshaft, a crank shaft mounted in said casing and extending transverselythereof. gearing for connecting the worm with said crank shaft,including gears extending into said sump, cranks formed separately fromsaid crank shaft and secured thereto on opposite sides of the casing, avertically movable crosshead provided with means for attaching it to apump rod, vertical guides for the cross head secured to the casing andextending above the same, connections from said cranks to the crosshead,said casing being provided with vertically registering apertures for thepassage of the pump rod vertically therethrough, a supporting bracketadapted to he supported upon the casing head of the well, means forclamping said lHtH'lflFl to the casing head, and supporting devicessecured to said bracket and to the casing of the power unit andsupporting the same with said registering apertures in coaxial alignmentwith the. pump rod of the pump.

7. In a pumping power unit. the combination with a. casing having itslower portion provided with an oil sump and a motor compartment, a motorin said compartment provided with a motor shaft and a partition wallseparating the motor compartment from the sump. a worm and worm shaftmounted in the oil. sump, said shaft having a. portion extending intothe motor com mrtinent, a. crank shaft mounted in said casing andextending transversely thereof, gearing for connecting the worm withsaid crank shaft, including gears extending into said sump, cranksformed se1 arately from said crank shaft and. secured thereto onopposite-sides of the casing, a vertically movable crosshezul providedwith means for attaching it to a pump rod. vertical guides for thecrossheiul secured to the casing and extending above the same,connections from said cranks to the crosshead. said casing beingprovided with vertially registering apertures for the passage of thepump rod vertically therethrough. a supporting bracket adapted to besupported upon the casing head of the well, means for clamping saidbracket to the casing head. supporting devices secured to said bracketand to the casing of the power unit and supporting the same with saidregistering apertures in coaxial alignment with the pump rod of thepump, and an electric motor detachably secured within said motorcompartment, with its shaft in substantially coaxial. relation, with theworm shaft, said worm shaft and the motor shaft being provided withinterengaging coupling members for connecting said shafts andcompensating for slight variations in the alignment thereof with eachother.

8. In a pumping power unit, the combination with a casing having itslower portion provided with an oil sump and a motor compartment, a motorin said compartment provided with a motor shaft and a partition wallseparating the motor con'ipartment from. the sump, a worm and worm shaftmounted in the oil sump, said shaft having a portion extending into themotor compartment, a crank shaft mounted in said casing and exti-mdingtransversely thereof, gearing for connecting the worm with said crankshaft, including gears extending into said su1'np,cranks formedseparately from said crank shaft and secured thereto on opposite sidesof the casing, a vertically movable crosshead provided with means forattaching it to a pump rod, vertical guides for the crosshead secured tothe casing and extending above the same, connections from said cranks tothe crosshead, said casing being provided with vertically registeringapertures for the passage of the pump rod vertically therethrough, asupporting bracket adapted to be supported upon the easing head of thewell, means for clamping said bracket to the casing head, supportingdevices secured to said bracket and to the casing of the power unit andsupporting the same with said registering apertures in coaxial alignmentwith the pump rod of the pump,

said motor compartment being provided with ventilating apertures in thewalls of the easing out of communication with the sump, for cooling themotor, weighted counter-balance arms secured to said crank shaft forcounterbalancing the weight of the pump rod and sucker rods, and meansfor detachably securing an electric motor in the motor compartment withits axis in substantial alignment with the worm shaft, and means fordetachably connecting the motor shaft thereof with the worm shaft.

9. In a pumping power unit, the combination with a casing including abase wall, side walls and an end wall, a partition wall extending fromthe base wall and separating said easing into sump and motorcompartments, said partition wall serving as a cover for the motorcompartment, gearing in the sump compartment including a shaft having aportion extending into the motor compartment, a motor in the motorcon'ipartment connected to said gearing, and means for connecting thegearing to a pump rod for reciprocating the same.

10. In a pumping power unit, the combina tion with a casing including abase wall, side walls and an end wall, a partition wall eX- tending fromthe base wall and separating said easing into sump and motorcompartments, at top enclosing the sump compartn'ient and resting on theend wall and pmrtition wall, said partition wall serving as a cover forthe motor compartment, gearing in the sump compartment including a shafthaving a portion extending into the motor contipartment, a motor in themotor c nnpartment connected to said gearing, and means for connectingthe gearing to a pump rod for rcciplocating the same.

1l. in a pumping power unit, the combination with a casing including abase wall, a partition wall separating said easing into sump and motorcompartments, gearing in. said sump compartment including a shaftextending through the partition wall and having a coupling elementthereon, and. a motor removably mounted in the motor compart-. mentandhaving a coupling element on its armature shaft engageable with thecoupling element on the shaft in the sump compartment, together withmeans for connecting the gearing to a pump rod for reciprocating thesame.

12. In a pumping power unit, the combination with a casing including abase wall, side walls and an end wall, a partition wall separating saideasing into sump and motor compartments, said partition wall serving asa cover for the motor con'ipartment, a motor removably mounted on thebase wall in the motor compartment, gearing, a portion of which islocated in the sump compartment, and includes a worm shaft journalled inthe end wall and partition wall and extending through the latter, adetachable connection between the motor and the worm shaft, means forconnecting the gearing to a pump rod for reciprocating the same, and acover resting on the end, side and partition walls for protecting thegearing.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

ROBERT A. DRESSER.

